Sweeping machine with multi-component moldboard

ABSTRACT

A vehicular sweeping machine includes a frame, a broom that is adapted to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and a broom enclosure. The broom enclosure has a left end gate, a right end gate and a moldboard assembly including an outer moldboard and an inner moldboard which are arranged to form a labyrinth seal at the rear of the broom enclosure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/259,168 which was filed on Nov. 24, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a vehicular sweeping machine that maybe used in sweeping streets, parking lots and other large surfaces. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a vehicular sweeping machinehaving a sweeping apparatus including a broom assembly that is adaptedto contain material within a broom enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roadway repair is often accomplished by overlaying the existing pavement(whether of concrete or asphalt composition) with a new layer (oftencalled a leveling course) of concrete, asphalt or other surfacingmaterials. Without prior surface treatment, however, this method ofrepair generally results in the application of insufficient quantitiesof paving material in the rutted, potholed or otherwise damaged areas,because the overlay will be applied at the same rate per unit of roadwaywidth in damaged areas (which have a greater depth across the width) asin the undamaged areas. The resulting reduced density in the overlay ofthe previously damaged areas will lead to renewed rutting or other weardamage in the new pavement in relatively short order. However, bymilling the surface of the damaged pavement, the milled surface can berendered substantially flat so that newly added pavement will have auniform thickness across the entire width of the roadway. In addition, arepaving technique that includes milling a thickness of old pavement andreplacing it with an equivalent thickness of new pavement will returnthe elevation of the roadway to its initial level, whereas the placementof a leveling course atop damaged pavement will tend to raise thesurface of the roadway or some portion thereof above its originalelevation. This can require the raising of road shoulders, guardrailsand manhole covers and the adjustment of overpass clearances, all ofwhich are unnecessary if a proper milling technique is employed. A useof milling prior to repaving can also permit ready establishment of theproper road grade and slope, and thereby avoid drainage and safetyproblems. Furthermore, milling typically provides a rough surface thatreadily accepts and bonds with the new asphalt or other pavementoverlay. Finally, milling can provide raw material that can be reclaimedfor use in the production of new paving materials.

A milling machine is typically a wheeled or track-driven vehicle that isprovided with a rotating drum that includes a plurality of cuttingteeth. The drum is mounted in a housing on the frame of the machine andadapted to be lowered into contact with the road surface and rotatedabout a horizontal axis so as to cut into the surface to a desired depthas the machine is advanced along the roadway. Generally, the millingmachine also includes a conveyor system that is designed to carry themajority of the milled material that has been cut from the roadway bythe rotating drum to a location in front of, to the rear of or besidethe machine for deposit into a truck for removal from the milling site.Sweeping machines are frequently required, however, to follow a millingmachine in order to remove any milled material left behind by themilling machine prior to resurfacing.

Conventional sweeping machines typically employ a broom assemblycomprising one or more brooms mounted for rotation about horizontal orvertical axes. Some conventional machines may operate by pushing theswept material to one side of the machine where it may be collected by aseparate collecting device. Other conventional machines include a broomassembly and an integral assembly for collecting material swept by thebroom or brooms. Such integral collecting assemblies may comprise vacuumsystems for capturing the material swept by the brooms or dischargeconveyors for transporting such material to a hopper or an adjacenttruck. Most conventional sweeping machines having an integral collectingassembly are not enclosed or are not sufficiently enclosed to avoidleaving material on the roadway. Many such machines must make multiplepasses along a roadway to clear the roadway sufficiently to allow forresurfacing.

Some sweeping machines that include integral collecting assembliesemploy flexible flaps and end gates on the broom assembly in an attemptto seal the broom assembly to the roadway surface and prevent materialfrom escaping from the broom assembly enclosure. Unfortunately,conventional flaps and end gates do not always retain the milledmaterial within the broom assembly. In addition, some of these machinesmay trap material within the broom only to eject it onto the roadwaybehind the machine as the broom rotates. It would be desirable if abroom assembly could be provided for a sweeping machine with acollecting assembly that would more efficiently contain milled materialwithin the broom enclosure and direct such material onto a dischargeconveyor.

NOTES ON CONSTRUCTION

The use of the terms “a”, “an”, “the” and similar terms in the contextof describing the invention are to be construed to cover both thesingular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearlycontradicted by context. The terms “comprising”, “having”, “including”and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning“including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The terms“substantially”, “generally” and other words of degree are relativemodifiers intended to indicate permissible variation from thecharacteristic so modified. The use of such terms in describing aphysical or functional characteristic of the invention is not intendedto limit such characteristic to the absolute value which the termmodifies, but rather to provide an approximation of the value of suchphysical or functional characteristic. All methods described herein canbe performed in any suitable order unless otherwise specified herein orclearly indicated by context.

Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected”and “interconnected”, refer to a relationship wherein structures aresecured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly throughintervening structures, as well as both moveable and rigid attachmentsor relationships, unless specified herein or clearly indicated bycontext. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment,coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operateas intended by virtue of that relationship.

The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”and “preferably”) herein is intended merely to better illuminate theinvention and the preferred embodiments thereof, and not to place alimitation on the scope of the invention. Nothing in the specificationshould be construed as indicating any element as essential to thepractice of the invention unless so stated with specificity. Severalterms are specifically defined herein. These terms are to be given theirbroadest possible construction consistent with such definitions, asfollows:

The terms “lower”, “bottom” and similar terms, when used in reference toa relative position or direction on or with respect to a vehicularsweeping machine, or an assembly, component or portion thereof, refer toa relative position or direction that is nearer the roadway on which thevehicular sweeping machine is placed for operation.

The terms “upper”, “top” and similar terms, when used in reference to arelative position or direction on or with respect to a vehicularsweeping machine or an assembly, component or portion thereof, refer toa relative position or direction that is farther away from the roadwayon which the vehicular sweeping machine is placed for operation.

The term “forward sweeping direction” is the direction that the operatorof the vehicular sweeping machine faces when he is seated in the normalposition for the operator of the vehicular sweeping machine.

The term “sweeping diameter”, when used to describe a dimension of abroom, refers to the distance from the outer extent of a bristle of thebroom to the outer extent of a bristle on the opposite side of the broomtube.

The term “in front of” and similar terms refer to an assembly, componentor portion of a vehicular sweeping machine that is in the forwardsweeping direction with respect to a reference point, assembly,component or portion of the vehicular sweeping machine.

The term “behind” and similar terms refer to an assembly, component orportion of a vehicular sweeping machine that is in the directionopposite the forward sweeping direction with respect to a referencepoint, assembly, component or portion of the vehicular sweeping machine.

The term “left”, as used herein to describe a direction or relativeposition of a vehicular sweeping machine or an assembly, component orportion of such a sweeping machine, refers to a position or orientationtowards the left, from the perspective of the operator who is drivingthe machine in the forward sweeping direction.

The term “right”, as used herein to describe a direction or relativeposition of a vehicular sweeping machine or an assembly, component orportion of such a sweeping machine, refers to a position or orientationtowards the right, from the perspective of the operator who is drivingthe machine in the forward sweeping direction.

The term “inside”, as used herein to describe a direction or relativeposition of an assembly, component or portion of a vehicular sweepingmachine, refers to a position or orientation away from the outerperiphery of the vehicular sweeping machine or component or portionthereof.

The term “outside”, as used herein to describe a direction or relativeposition of an assembly, component or portion of a vehicular sweepingmachine, refers to a position or orientation towards the outer peripheryof the vehicular sweeping machine or component or portion thereof.

The term “linear actuator” refers to an electric, pneumatic, hydraulic,electro-hydraulic or mechanical device that generates force which isdirected in a straight line. Common examples of “linear actuators” arehydraulic and pneumatic actuators which include a cylinder, a pistonwithin the cylinder, and a rod attached to the piston. By increasing thepressure within the cylinder on one side of the piston (over that on theopposite side of the piston), the rod will extend from the cylinder orretract into the cylinder.

The term “rotary actuator” refers to an electric, hydraulic orelectro-hydraulic motor or other device that generates force that isdirected along an arc or about a center of rotation.

The term “actuator” (without a qualifying adjective) refers to a linearactuator or a rotary actuator.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a vehicular sweeping machine having a frame anda broom enclosure for enclosing a broom comprising a generallycylindrical tube with attached bristles that is adapted to rotate abouta generally horizontal axis. The broom enclosure includes a left endgate, a right end gate and a moldboard assembly. The moldboard assemblycomprises an outer moldboard and an inner moldboard which are arrangedto form a labyrinth seal at the rear of the broom enclosure. A broomconveyor has a lower end that is disposed within the broom enclosure.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a broomassembly that is adapted for removal and replacement of brooms from theside of the machine. Still another preferred embodiment of the inventioncomprises a broom assembly that is mounted on the frame in such a mannerthat it may be moved vertically with respect to the frame in order toimprove the seal of the broom assembly with respect to the roadway. Yetanother preferred embodiment of the invention includes a materialpresentation system that is adapted to move material on the roadway intocontact with the broom in the form of a windrow that is locatedgenerally in front of the center of the broom assembly.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, the preferredembodiments of the invention, as well as the best mode known by theinventors for carrying out the invention, is illustrated in thedrawings, and a detailed description thereof follows. It is notintended, however, that the invention be limited to the particularembodiments described or to use in connection with the apparatusillustrated herein. Therefore, the scope of the invention contemplatedby the inventors includes all equivalents of the subject matter recitedin the claims, as well as various modifications and alternativeembodiments such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art towhich the invention relates. The inventors expect skilled artisans toemploy such variations as seem to them appropriate, including thepractice of the invention otherwise than as specifically describedherein. In addition, any combination of the elements and components ofthe invention described herein in any possible variation is encompassedby the invention, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly excludedby context.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The presently preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals representlike parts throughout, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right perspective view of a vehicular sweeping machine thatis equipped with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the vehicular sweeping machine shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a left perspective view of the vehicular sweeping machineshown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the vehicular sweeping machine shown inFIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the vehicular sweeping machine shown in FIGS.1-4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the broom assembly of a vehicular sweepingmachine similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-5, but having a broom tube withshort bristles thereon.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the broom assembly of the vehicularsweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5, showing a broom tube with longbristles thereon.

FIG. 8 is a first perspective view of a portion of the broom assembly ofthe vehicular sweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5, showing the operationof certain of the features of a preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 is a second perspective view of a portion of the broom assemblyof the vehicular sweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5, showing theoperation of certain of the features of a preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the broom assembly of the vehicularsweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5, showing certain features of apreferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the broom assembly shown in FIG. 10, takenalong the line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the broom assembly shown in FIGS. 10 and 11(with certain structures removed), taken along the line 12-12 of FIG.10.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the broom assembly shown in FIGS. 10-12,taken along the line 13-13 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a rear view of the broom assembly shown in FIGS. 10-13, takenalong the line 14-14 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a broom that is shown in part in FIGS.7, 10, 11 and 20-22, showing the drive and idler hubs associatedtherewith.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the V-shaped rake and knock-down plateof a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a left perspective view of a portion of the broom assembly ofa vehicular sweeping machine similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-5, showingcertain components that facilitate easy replacement of a broom.

FIG. 18 is a left perspective view of the portion of the broom assemblyillustrated in FIG. 17, showing the operation of certain components thatfacilitate easy replacement of a broom.

FIG. 19 is a left perspective view of the portion of the broom assemblyillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, taken from a different angle from thanof FIGS. 17 and 18, showing certain components that facilitate easyreplacement of a broom.

FIG. 20 is a left perspective view of a portion of the broom assembly ofthe vehicular sweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5, showing certaincomponents that facilitate easy replacement of a broom.

FIG. 21 is a left perspective view of the portion of the broom assemblyillustrated in FIG. 20, showing certain components that facilitate easyreplacement of a broom.

FIG. 22 is a left perspective view of the portion of the broom assemblyillustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, showing certain components thatfacilitate easy replacement of a broom.

FIG. 23 is a left side view of an alternative embodiment of a portion ofa vehicular sweeping machine that is similar in many respects to thevehicular sweeping machine shown in FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 24 is a left side view of the embodiment of the portion of thevehicular sweeping machine shown in FIG. 23, with a portion of the frameand certain other components removed for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This description of preferred embodiments of the invention is intendedto be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to beconsidered part of the entire written description of this invention. Thedrawing figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features ofthe invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematicform in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, a first embodiment 25 of a vehicular sweepingmachine includes frame 26, engine compartment 27, operator's cab 28,broom assembly 29, broom conveyor 30 and articulating discharge conveyor31. Contained within engine compartment 27 is an engine (not shown) thatprovides power for driving rear wheels 32 of the machine, as well as foroperating the broom assembly and other components of the vehicularsweeping machine. Steering of machine 25 is accomplished by means of aconventional steering assembly operating through front wheels 34. Whenmachine 25 is driven in forward sweeping direction “D”, it is desirablethat the bottom of broom assembly 29 sits down on the sweeping surfaceto create a stable seal against the roadway. Such stability is providedby mounting the broom assembly 29 on frame 26 by means of a four-linkarrangement comprised of a pair of lower links, right lower link 36 andleft lower link 38, and a pair of upper links including right upper link40 and a left upper link (not shown) that is mounted parallel to rightupper link 40 on the left side of machine 25. Furthermore, a pluralityof linear actuators are provided in this embodiment of the invention,including front linear actuator 42 and rear linear actuator 44, forraising and lowering the broom assembly with respect to the frame. Insome embodiments of the invention, a pair of front linear actuators areprovided, one on each side of the broom assembly, along with a pair ofrear linear actuators (also located on opposite sides of the broomassembly). In other embodiments of the invention, only one or aplurality of rear linear actuators (such as rear linear actuator 44)will be required. Thus, for example, FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate analternative embodiment of a portion of vehicular sweeping machine 125that is similar in many respects to vehicular sweeping machine 25 ofFIGS. 1-5. In this embodiment of the invention, however, a single linearactuator 144 is mounted in a diagonal configuration between frame 126and broom assembly 129.

Broom assembly 29 includes broom enclosure 45 and a broom comprising agenerally cylindrical broom tube 46 with attached bristles that isadapted to rotate about a generally horizontal axis within the broomenclosure. The drawings show brooms having different bristleconfigurations and/or in different states of bristle wear. Thus, forexample, FIGS. 6, 18 and 19 show broom tubes 46 with a plurality ofshort densely packed bristles 48 attached thereto, whereas FIGS. 2, 4,7, 10, 11, 15 and 20-24 show broom tubes 46 with a plurality of longer,more widely-spaced bristles 50. It is important to realize that as thelonger spaced bristles 50 of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 7, 10,11, 15 and 20-24 wear, they may be reduced in length to a length similarto that of bristles 48 shown in FIGS. 6, 18 and 19.

When machine 25 is driven in forward sweeping direction “D”, millingchips, dust and other material on the roadway will enter broom assembly29 from its front side. The efficiency of the sweeping operation isfacilitated by the four-link mounting arrangement of the broom assemblyto the frame, and the linear actuator(s) associated therewith that maybe employed to raise and lower the broom assembly with respect to theroadway. More particularly, this mounting arrangement comprises rightupper link 40, which is pivotally mounted at one end to frame 26 and atthe other end to an upper right position on broom assembly 29.Similarly, a left upper link (not shown but substantially identical toright upper link 40) is pivotally mounted at one end to frame 26 and atthe other end to an upper left position on broom assembly 29 (oppositeto the upper right mounting position of right upper link 40). Rightlower link 36 is pivotally mounted at one end to frame 26 and at theother end to a lower right position on broom assembly 29, and left lowerlink 38 is pivotally mounted at one end to frame 26 and at the other endto a lower left position on broom assembly 29. Front linear actuator 42and rear linear actuator 44 are each mounted between the broom assemblyand the frame and are adapted to raise and lower the broom assembly withrespect to the frame, and consequently, with respect to the roadwaysurface. In some embodiments of the invention (such as the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24), either or both of the front and rearlinear actuators is mounted with one end pivotally attached to the frameon one side of the machine and the other end pivotally attached to thebroom assembly on the opposite side of the machine. In other embodimentsof the invention, the linear actuators may be mounted generallyvertically in pairs with one end attached to the frame and the other endattached to the broom assembly. In these embodiments, one front linearactuator and one rear linear actuator are mounted generally verticallyon one side of the machine and one front linear actuator and one rearlinear actuator are mounted generally vertically on the other side ofthe machine. In addition to facilitating a sweep seal of the roadway,the mounting assembly comprising the four-link mounting arrangement andone or more linear actuators makes it easier to load the sweepingmachine on a flatbed truck for transport to and from the sweeping site.

The broom may be rotated about a generally horizontal axis in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, or in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIGS. 4, 6, 7, 10, 23 and 24. Because of theconfiguration of the broom enclosure, rotation of the broom in eitherdirection causes much of the material on the roadway to be depositedonto lower end 52 of broom conveyor 30 for transport to dischargeconveyor 31. However, some of the material from the roadway may betrapped in the bristles of the broom, and some material may be ejectedaway from the broom towards the top and/or rear of the broom enclosure.Such material is contained by the preferred broom enclosure whichcomprises a moldboard assembly having two layered moldboards arranged atthe rear end of broom assembly 29 in such a way as to form a labyrinthseal that will trap material inside the broom enclosure. An outermoldboard comprises generally rigid upper panel 54 and generally rigidlower panel 56 that are joined together at hinge 58. An inner curvedmoldboard 60 is attached at the top of upper panel 54 of the outermoldboard by hinge 62. Upper panel 54 of the outer moldboard has a pairof integral side panels, including side panel 64 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,and inner moldboard 60 also has a pair of integral side panels,including side panel 66 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The side panels slideacross the end gates of the broom enclosure, including right end gate 68shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to insure that the broom is always enclosed bythe end gates and moldboard assembly of the broom enclosure and by theunderlying road surface when the sweeping machine is being operated. Thecombination of these features and the relative placement of the twomoldboards causes the bristles of the broom to direct and contain thematerial within the broom enclosure, regardless of the length of thebristles of the broom, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 6 and 7.Material that is ejected away from the broom towards the top and/or rearof the broom enclosure is directed by the moldboards down towards theroadway surface, so that it can be swept by the bristles of the broomonto lower end 52 of broom conveyor 30. The arrangement of the inner andouter moldboards is such that as the bristles of the broom wear andbecome shorter, thereby decreasing the sweeping diameter of the broom(or as brooms of different sizes are employed), the moldboards willalways create a sloped surface that sheds material onto the roadway, asshown by the arrows in FIGS. 8 and 9, and will prevent the buildup ofmaterial within the broom enclosure behind the broom. The moldboardassembly is configured and arranged to automatically adjust toaccommodate brooms having various bristle lengths. As shown in FIG. 7,the bristles 50 of a broom with a large sweeping diameter will contactthe inside surface of inner moldboard 60 in such a way that the insideangle between upper panel 54 and lower panel 56 of the outer moldboard(i.e., the inside angle between upper panel 54 and lower panel 56 athinge 58) is larger than in the configuration of FIG. 6 wherein contactof the bristles 48 of a broom with a smaller sweeping diameter with theinside surface of the inner moldboard causes the inside angle betweenupper panel 54 and lower panel 56 of the outer moldboard to be smaller.Thus, as shown in FIGS. 6-9, lower end 69 of inner moldboard 60 remainsin contact with the bristles of the broom regardless of the length ofsuch bristles.

The operation of broom assembly 29 is rendered more efficient than thatof conventional broom assemblies by a material presentation systemcomprising structures that control or condition material to be swept bythe broom onto broom conveyor 30 for transport to discharge conveyor 31.Preferably, these structures serve to move material into contact withthe broom in the form of a windrow that is located generally in front ofthe center of the broom assembly. The arrows in FIGS. 10 and 11 indicatethe relative movement of material to be swept as vehicular sweepingmachine 25 moves in the forward sweeping direction, i.e., in a directiontowards the left side of the page on which FIG. 10 is displayed and in adirection towards the bottom of the page on which FIG. 11 is displayed.Certain of the novel structures of the material presentation system ofbroom assembly 29 serve to direct material to the broom and to preventmaterial from passing outside of the end gates of the broom enclosure.Thus, as shown in FIG. 11, right end gate 68 and left end gate 70 arelocated on opposite sides of broom tube 46, and knock-down blade 72(also shown in FIGS. 10, 12 and 16) is located at the front of the broomassembly and somewhat above the surface of the roadway. The knock-downblade is adapted to control the height of the material on the roadwaythat is contacted by the broom. As shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 16,knock-down blade 72 comprises a generally vertical face that is locatedat the front of broom assembly 29 below lower end 52 of broom conveyor30. Attached to knock-down blade 72 is preferred V-shaped rake 73, bestshown in FIG. 16, which is comprised of a plurality of spring steeltines 74 that are flexibly mounted to a pair of rake rods 75 in such afashion that the tines will flex as they encounter material on theroadway surface. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 16, V-shaped rake 73 ispreferably formed from two equal-sized rake portions (each comprising arake rod and a plurality of tines) that meet at an obtuse angle φ thatis preferably equal to about 150°.

The knock-down blade regulates the height of material that is presentedto the V-shaped rake, and the rake, which is located so as to contactthe surface of the roadway, is adapted to pull up any material stuck tothe roadway surface and to prevent material with relatively largeparticle size from contacting (and possibly damaging) the lower side ofthe belt on broom conveyor 30. The V-shaped rake also evens the heightof the material across the width of the broom assembly and urges it intothe restricted space between a pair of foot assemblies located behindthe rake.

Left foot assembly 76 has a horizontally disposed left bottom panel 77(shown in FIG. 11), an angled left lower wall 78 (shown in FIG. 12) andan angled left upper face 79 (shown in FIGS. 12, 17 and 18) that isadjacent to the left side of lower end 52 of broom conveyor 30.Preferably, the angle of left upper face 79 is generally the same asthat of lower end 52 of broom conveyor 30 with respect to the roadway.Attached to the outside edge of bottom panel 77 is left foot ski 80,which is adapted to slide along the roadway as sweeping machine 25 isoperated. Similarly, right foot assembly 81 has a horizontally disposedright bottom panel 82, an angled right lower wall 83 and an angled rightupper face 84 that is adjacent the right lower end of broom conveyor 30.Preferably, the angle of right upper face 84 is generally the same asthat of lower end 52 of broom conveyor 30. Attached to the outside edgeof bottom panel 82 is right foot ski 85, which is adapted to slide alongthe roadway as the machine is operated. The foot assemblies arepositioned on the broom assembly so that a small gap will be createdbetween the bottom panels and the roadway surface, which allows aminimal amount of material to pass under the bottom panels, while themajor portion of the material is redirected to the center of the broomassembly by rake 74 and foot assemblies 76 and 81. Any material thatpasses under the bottom panels is retained within the broom enclosure byend gates 68 and 70.

In order to facilitate the removal and replacement of a broom core, atleast one of the end gates of the broom enclosure is mounted so as topivot about a generally vertical hinge towards the front of the broomassembly. Thus, right end gate 68 is pivotable from the closed positionshown in FIG. 17 to the open position shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Inaddition, right side head cover 86 is also part of the preferred broomenclosure and is attached with a generally horizontal hinge, so that itcan be opened to allow the broom to be removed from the side of thebroom enclosure. Thus, right side head cover 86 is pivotable from theclosed position shown in FIG. 17 to the open position shown in FIG. 18.Broom tube 46 is mounted between a pair of hubs, including drive hub 87on the left side, the generally conical inner broom engaging portion ofwhich is shown in FIGS. 12-15 and 19, and idler hub 88, the generallyconical inner broom engaging portion of which is shown in FIGS. 12-15and the outer portion of which is shown in FIGS. 17-19. Drive hub 87comprises or is attached to a rotary actuator that is adapted to rotatethe broom about its axis of rotation. Idler hub 88 is attached to righthub mount arm 89, and drive hub 87 is attached to left hub mount arm 90,with each hub having an inner portion that extends through the hub mountarm for engagement with one of the ends of the broom tube, as best shownin FIGS. 12-15 and 17-19. Of course, it is contemplated within the scopeof the invention that the drive hub could be attached to a right hubmount arm and the idler hub attached to a left hub mount arm. It is alsocontemplated within the scope of the invention that both hubs could bedriven by or comprise rotary actuators.

Right hub mount arm 89 and left hub mount arm 90 are also mounted to therear of the broom enclosure by a plurality of outer tubes 92 and innertelescoping tubes 94. In the embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawings, each of the outer tubes is attached to left hub mount arm 90and to a plurality of brackets 95 on the rear of the broom enclosure.Each of the inner telescoping tubes 94 has a fixed end that is attachedto right hub mount arm 89 and a free end that is adapted to slide withinthe outer tube 92 with which it is associated. The free ends of theinner telescoping tubes move into and out of the outer tubes by theaction of a linear actuator such as actuator 96 which is attachedbetween the broom enclosure and right hub mount arm 89. Thus, as may beunderstood by comparing FIGS. 17 and 18, when right side head cover 86is pivoted to the open position and right end gate 68 is pivoted to theopen position, right hub mount arm 89 with attached broom tube 46 can bemoved outwardly from the side of the broom assembly, as shown in FIGS.18 and 19. This will disengage broom tube 46 from left hub 87. Thenbroom tube 46 can be disengaged from right hub 88 and removed from themachine. A new broom can then be installed by reversing this process.

FIGS. 20-22 illustrate additional features of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention. As shown therein, the hub (not shown) associated withright hub mount arm 89 can be withdrawn from broom tube 46 by movingright hub mount arm 89 outwardly from the side of the broom assembly.Right hub mount arm 89 may then be then rotated about an axis throughthe center of inner telescoping tube 94, as show in FIG. 22, to make iteasier to remove broom tube 46 from the hub (not shown in FIG. 22)associated with left hub mount arm 90. After the broom tube isdisengaged from the hubs on both sides, it can be easily removed fromthe machine. A new broom can then be installed by reversing thisprocess.

The invention thus provides a fully-enclosed broom assembly that canmore efficiently be operated to remove material milled by a millingmachine from a roadway. Furthermore, even though the broom assembly isfully-enclosed, it can be manipulated with common tools and in a shortperiod of time to allow for removal and replacement of the broom.

Although this description contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merelyproviding illustrations of the presently preferred embodiment thereof,as well as the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying outthe invention. The invention, as described herein, is susceptible tovarious modifications and adaptations, as would be understood by thosehaving ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicular sweeping machine comprising: (a) aframe; (b) means for driving the vehicular sweeping machine in a forwardsweeping direction; (c) a broom enclosure comprising: (i) a left endgate; (ii) a right end gate; (iii) a moldboard assembly comprising anouter moldboard and an inner moldboard which are arranged to form alabyrinth seal at the rear of the broom enclosure; (d) a broomcomprising a generally cylindrical tube with attached bristles that ismounted in the broom enclosure and adapted to rotate about a generallyhorizontal axis; (e) a broom conveyor having a lower end that isdisposed within the broom enclosure.
 2. The vehicular sweeping machineof claim 1 wherein the arrangement of the outer moldboard and the innermoldboard provides a sloped moldboard surface at the rear of the broomenclosure that sheds material onto the roadway on which the machine isoperated regardless of the length of the bristles of the broom.
 3. Thevehicular sweeping machine of claim 2 wherein the moldboard assemblycomprises: (a) an outer moldboard comprising: (i) a generally rigidupper panel having a pair of integral side panels; (ii) a generallyrigid lower panel that is joined to the upper panel with a hingedattachment; (b) an inner moldboard comprising an inner curved moldboardpanel that is attached at the top of the upper panel of the outermoldboard by a hinge, said inner moldboard having a pair of integralside panels that are adapted to slide across the end gates of the broomenclosure.
 4. The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 3 wherein themoldboard assembly is configured and arranged to automatically adjust toaccommodate brooms having various bristle lengths.
 5. The vehicularsweeping machine of claim 4 wherein the outer moldboard and the innermoldboard are configured and arranged with respect to the broom so thatthe lower end of the inner moldboard remains in contact with thebristles of broom regardless of the length of such bristles.
 6. Thevehicular sweeping machine of claim 5 wherein the outer moldboard andthe inner moldboard are configured and arranged so that the bristles ofa broom with a large sweeping diameter will contact the inside surfaceof the inner moldboard in such a way that the inside angle between theupper panel and the lower panel of the outer moldboard is larger thanthe inside angle between the upper panel and the lower panel when thebristles of a broom with a smaller sweeping diameter contact the insidesurface of the inner moldboard.
 7. The vehicular sweeping machine ofclaim 1 wherein the broom enclosure substantially encloses the broom. 8.The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein: (a) the broomassembly includes: (i) a left hub mount arm having a left hub mountedthereto, said left hub having an inner broom engaging portion on theinside of the left hub mount arm; (ii) a right hub mount arm having aright hub mounted thereto, said right hub having an inner broom engagingportion on the inside of the right hub mount arm; (iii) an outer tubethat is attached to the rear of the broom enclosure and to one of theleft and right hub mount arms; (iv) an inner tube having a fixed endthat is attached to the left or right hub mount arm to which the outertube is not attached, said inner tube also having a free end that isadapted to slide within the outer tube; (v) a linear actuator that isattached between the broom enclosure and the left or right hub mount armto which the fixed end of the inner tube is attached, said linearactuator being adapted to move the hub mount arm to which it is attachedbetween an inner position in which the broom is engaged with the innerbroom engaging portion of the left hub and the inner broom engagingportion of the right hub and an outer position in which the broom isdisengaged from one or both of the inner broom engaging portion of theleft hub and the inner broom engaging portion of the right hub; (b) thebroom is mounted between the inner broom engaging portion of the lefthub and the inner broom engaging portion of the right hub.
 9. Thevehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom assemblyincludes a material presentation system that moves material into contactwith the broom in the form of a windrow that is located generally infront of the center of the broom assembly.
 10. The vehicular sweepingmachine of claim 1 wherein the broom assembly includes: (a) a knock-downblade that is located on the front side of the broom assembly and abovethe surface of the roadway and is adapted to control the height of thematerial on the roadway that is contacted by the broom; (b) a rake whichis located behind the knock-down blade and in contact with the surfaceof the roadway.
 11. The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 10 whereinthe rake comprises a rake rod and a plurality of tines which areflexibly mounted thereto.
 12. The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 11wherein the rake is V-shaped and comprises two equal-sized rakeportions, each comprising a rake rod and a plurality of tines mountedthereto, which rake rods meet at an angle of about 150°.
 13. Thevehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom assemblycomprises: (a) a left end gate and a right end gate on opposite sides ofthe broom enclosure; (b) a knock-down blade that is located at the frontof the broom assembly and somewhat above the surface of the roadway soas to control the height of material on the roadway that is contacted bythe broom; (c) a left foot assembly comprising: (i) a horizontallydisposed left bottom panel; (ii) an angled left lower wall; (iii) anangled left upper face that is adjacent to the left side of the lowerend of the discharge conveyor; (d) a right foot assembly comprising: (i)a horizontally disposed right bottom panel; (ii) an angled right lowerwall; (iii) an angled right upper face that is adjacent to the rightside of the lower end of the discharge conveyor.
 14. The vehicularsweeping machine of claim 13 wherein: (a) the left foot assembly: (i)includes a left foot ski which is adapted to slide along the roadway;(ii) is positioned on the broom assembly so that a gap is createdbetween the left bottom panel and the roadway surface; (b) the rightfoot assembly: (i) includes a right foot ski which is adapted to slidealong the roadway; (ii) is positioned on the broom assembly so that agap is created between the right bottom panel and the roadway surface.